News & Advice

Fire safety & security over the festive season

Christmas is a time of lights, tinsel and trees. All very pretty, leaving homes and business all across the UK looking cosy, bright and inviting. With our fire safety hat on (sorry) it’s worth remembering that cheap lights are often not the best quality. Make sure that all festive electrical fittings and decorations bear the CE kite mark before you buy them.

Don’t overload sockets or plug in multiple extension leads around your property no matter how many lights you like to have adorning your tree or mantelpiece. Also take care when hanging excessive items on fireplace garlands, especially over open fires, when decorations get hot they can melt and easily fall.

It’s the same story with candles – we all agree they look stunning, but never place them near other items, on floors where they can get knocked over, near children or leave them unattended.

As the festive season is fast approaching there are lots of statistics which show that criminal activity increases during this time of year.

People spend more time away from home at Christmas parties and make trips to see family and friends so houses stand empty for longer than usual. People also spend the weeks before the festive season shopping and filling their homes with everything for festive feasts and gifts – many of which are very portable for thieves.

One of the main things that you should check before the festive period begins is your intruder alarm. People tend to forget that alarms have equipment which ages and wears out, so they should be regularly maintained and serviced to ensure that when you need them, they work as they should.

Regular maintenance contracts ensure that your alarm is in good working order and don’t need to cost the earth (link to contact us). They also give you the peace of mind that you can call your alarm provider and ask advice or report any other faults throughout the year. Often it’s also a condition of your insurance that your intruder system should be regularly maintained.

Before you leave your home always make sure that curtains, shutters or blinds are closed on the ground floor and lights, where possible, are on timers. Never leave keys on display inside your home or in the locks on any doors. If you’re going away for an extended period then it’s also worth letting trusted neighbours know.

Finally it’s also worth remembering that it’s best not to broadcast on social media that you’re away if your network is wide with lots of contacts that aren’t necessarily your inner circle. Posting #holidayfun might bring you a ‘break in’, rather than the festive break you planned.